1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to systems and methods associated with uninterruptable power supplies (UPS). Specifically, the present invention relates in some preferred embodiments to UPS systems/method as applied to large computing data centers.
2. Prior Art Background
In recent years, Internet traffic has grown exponentially due to the huge demand for voice, data and video applications. To process this intensive amount of data traffic and storage, novel concepts such as “Cloud Computing” and “large data centers” emerge. These concepts ensure that users share the entire infrastructure cost of data thus reducing the individual user's expense. Other novel concepts such as “meter computing” and “pay as you go” have also materialized that allow users access to computing resources but do not require the user to pay for idle computing resources.
Shared services, applications, platforms, etc., lead to the demand for “large or mega data centers” with shared IT infrastructures. Any large/mega data center should address the issues of cost, flexibility, scalability, efficiency, utilization, redundancy, and management in order to support “Cloud Computing” applications. As the demand for large data center increases, modular/container data center architectures begin to evolve. One fundamental development is the distributed concept which utilizes modular/containerized data centers that comprise factory-built modules that processes and store data within a modular infrastructure. These modular solutions require the best ideas for design, reliability, and efficiency of prefabricated, repeatable and operationally optimized modules. The modular/containerized data center approach can provide standardization, lower cost, scalability, flexibility, and speed for constructing/expanding a large data center. A typical modular/containerized data center contains a UPS (uninterruptable power supply), server racks, cooling, and IT equipment, etc.).
An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power to a critical load such as data centers when an input power source (typically utility (main) power) fails. A UPS differs from emergency power systems (flywheel, fuel cells, generators, etc.) or a standby generator in that it will provide near-instantaneous protection from “input power line interruption” by supplying energy stored in batteries or a flywheel. The backup time is usually relatively short (only a few minutes to tenth of minutes), but sufficient to start a standby power source or properly shutdown the protected load and store its critical data. A UPS is typically used to protect data centers, computers, and/or telecommunication equipment when an unexpected power disruption could cause serious business disruption or data losses.